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Betting to victory
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Betting was, till recently, equated to cricket and Azharuddin. But the FIFA World Cup has brought betting into the soccer fan clubs of the city.
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A walk down the congested by-lanes of Thampanoor will take you to the dim interiors of an old lodge. Inside one of its rooms, a 16-inch TV is dishing out images of the France-Senegal World Cup match. Half a dozen people sit glued to the TV. After the match, none of them can find their voice because Senegal has won.
"I've lost the money that I had saved to buy text books for my children. Who in the world would have thought that the reigning world champions would surrender meekly to a debutant team from Africa?" says Velappan, a head load worker in the city.
Betting in India was, till recently, equated to cricket and Azharuddin. But now, the FIFA World Cup has brought betting into the soccer fan clubs of the city.
The soccer `bookies' do not have the glamour and glitz (mobile phone, SIM card and laptop) of their counterparts in cricket. "But at the end of the day, what matters is hard cash," says Sachidanandan, who is one among those who have put their money on football.
If a cricket match involving India can pool in Rs. 1000 crore in Mumbai alone, the figure involved here is not more than a thousand rupees.
"Only the working class is interested in betting. The level of enthusiasm aroused by the World Cup is not so feverish here," says Justin, a district B division football player.
However, the scene in Malabar is somewhat different. "Football is such a craze in Malabar that many are willing to throw in all they have on their favourite team," adds Justin.
The `bookies' in the city are not bothered about the legal aspect of the "match within a match".
"In India, betting in sports is legal only for horse races," says a `bookie' who runs a pan shop.
"Many of us don't even know the rules and regulations of soccer. I've betted heavily on Italy because I love spaghetti and pizza," says Venu Menon, one of the top businessmen in the city.
"The France-Senegal, Italy-Croatia and Portugal-USA matches resulted in heavy losses to many. The England-Argentina match was the most heavily betted match in the World Cup, and many had placed their hopes on Argentina. England's victory over Argentina has made England more acceptable than ever among the `bookies'. Both Brazil and England are the current favourites.
"You need a minimum of Rs. 20 to bet on either Brazil or England. And if you are the winner, the corresponding returns tempt," says Dileep, who has put all his savings on England.
RENJU JOSE
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